Dates
Hanukkah 2026
Begins at sundown on December 4, 2026 and ends at nightfall on December 12, 2026.
Starts
December 4, 2026
at sundown
Ends
December 12, 2026
at nightfall
Length
8 days
work permitted
Years on file
7 years
2024 to 2030
…
Israel or the diaspora?
Eight nights everywhere, on the same dates. No difference.
Hanukkah is eight nights of candle lighting marking the rededication of the Temple after the Maccabean revolt, and the jar of oil that burned eight days instead of one.
On the ground
What happens in Israel
Not a public holiday, so work continues, but schools close for the week. Sufganiyot appear in every bakery from late November, and public menorahs are lit in every town square.
Practice
How it is observed
- Lighting the menorah for eight nights, adding one candle each night
- Playing dreidel, the four-letter spinning top
- Chocolate gelt and gift-giving, especially for children
- Placing the menorah in a window to publicize the miracle
"Chag Hanukkah sameach" or simply "Happy Hanukkah"
Foods fried in oil for the oil miracle: latkes (potato pancakes) and sufganiyot (jelly doughnuts).
Every year on file
Hanukkah in other years
The Hebrew calendar is lunisolar, so the Gregorian date moves by up to a month from year to year but stays in the same season.
The rest of 2026
Other Jewish holidays in 2026
8 of the 14 other dates on the 2026 calendar, in the order they fall. Each has its own page for 2026.
February 2, 2026
Tu BiShvat 2026
The new year of the trees. Tree planting in Israel and eating the fruits of the land.
March 3, 2026
Purim 2026
Celebrates the rescue of the Jews of Persia as told in the Book of Esther. Megillah readings, costumes, mishloach manot and festive meals.
April 2, 2026
Passover (Pesach) 2026
The festival of freedom, marking the Exodus from Egypt. Seder nights, matzah, and no chametz for eight days (seven in Israel).
April 14, 2026
Yom HaShoah 2026
Holocaust Remembrance Day. In Israel a two-minute siren brings the country to a standstill.
April 21, 2026
Yom HaZikaron 2026
Israel's Memorial Day for fallen soldiers and victims of terror, the day before Independence Day.
April 22, 2026
Yom HaAtzmaut 2026
Israel's Independence Day, marking the declaration of the state in 1948.
May 5, 2026
Lag BaOmer 2026
The 33rd day of the Omer count. Bonfires, weddings and celebrations at Mount Meron.
May 22, 2026
Shavuot 2026
The festival of receiving the Torah at Sinai. All-night learning and dairy foods. Two days in the diaspora, one in Israel.
Frequently asked questions
When is Hanukkah 2026?+
Hanukkah 2026 begins at sundown on December 4, 2026 and ends at nightfall on December 12, 2026. Jewish days start in the evening, so the first full day is December 5, 2026.
How long is Hanukkah?+
8 days. Eight nights everywhere, on the same dates. No difference.
Is Hanukkah different in Israel?+
Eight nights everywhere, on the same dates. No difference.
What happens in Israel on Hanukkah?+
Not a public holiday, so work continues, but schools close for the week. Sufganiyot appear in every bakery from late November, and public menorahs are lit in every town square.
What do you say on Hanukkah?+
The standard greeting is "Chag Hanukkah sameach" or simply "Happy Hanukkah".